Caged Feral Cat in a shelter

I volunteer at a local animal shelter.  They want me to try and socialize a feral kitty that was recently brought in with her kittens.  Her kittens are in one cage and she is in the cage next to it. 

Needless to say she is petrified.  How do I go about doing this when she is confined in a cage and feels cornered?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

So you shall work with her at place, inside this shelter?  Not taking her home?

How are the kittens? Are THEY human friendly and easy to cuddle?

How is the cage? is it like a small room where you can go in, or is it just like a big dog cage?

First, you do as much as possible yourself. Especielly giving food and treats.   So she connects you with someone friendly.

It may be idea YOU are giving food and treats to the kittens too, if she sees it.

If her kittens are friendly - you cuddle with them now and them (depends a little if they have their own fosterer who is also fostering - this person must of course go first...    )

An alternative if there is some other friendly cat nearby, visible from her cage - you cuddle sometimes with this cat...

Sit down often at her cage (or inside the cage if possible), and just talk friendly with her, sort of baby talk. Friendly noises.  Like a friendly, courting tom would do.  (some toms do take what they want. Other, friendly toms do court with much sounds - so she knows very well who is trying to be nice and friendly, and who just uses her).  You can also simple read aloud from a newspaper. Or even chant or sing some...

If you have Feliway spray you can spray some around you or on your hands if you shall in and do somehting around her...

Fostering in a cage is not my recommendation unless desperate. Yet at least one forumist told that is exactly what she uses to do. She has done it successfully with at least a 15 cats, and every one of them got adopted to families...

So it may be done if you know what you do. You dont even need to do it out of sheer desperation. 

Good luck!   *vibes*

ps  Welcome to the TCS site and our Forums!

Welcome and thank you for caring about homeless kitties. Is there anyway you can bring this cat home and foster this kitty for a little while at your home? I do use a cage at times to socialize a feral cat. I have a very large multi-level cat playpen and this works quite well for me at least in the beginning. Once I am able to pet the cat and they are trusting of me - I will then allow them to go to my foster room - safe room, with no hiding places other than a kitty tent or kitty cubby hideout.

It will be much harder to socialize this kitty in the shelter environment - but it can be done :nod: I also recommend spraying your hand with Feliway spray. BUT spray it in another room away from this cat. It will sound like a HISS when you spray it and will frighten her. It will take a lot of time on your part and you must go everyday to the shelter to spend a lot of time sitting in front of the cage, talking, just resting your hand on the bottom of the cage floor near this cat. As time goes on, and you are sure this cat will not lash out at you, you can reach very slowly to rub under the chin. Then stop. Only short rubs in the beginning. Hopefully there are other volunteers at the shelter that will spend time with this cat every day, socializing her too. She will need a lot of people doting on her and spoiling her. Use really special treats - Temptation Treats are a real hit for this. Good luck Let us know how it is going :nod: